With Earth Day just around the corner (April 22nd this year), I've been seeing a lot of earth-related, green promotions in the mail, on the street and in stores.

The other week, I received an informational booklet, membership offer and a packet of wildflower seeds in the mail from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

I like a lot of things about this promotion: free seeds, cheerful copy, bright, beautiful photos. Most of all, I applaud its relevant timing. 

Now, it might seem like a no-brainer to send out wildflower seeds during the peak bloom period of Texas wildflowers, but I'm consistently surprised at how many poorly-timed promotions I see everyday.

Planning a large scale mailer or promotional campaign takes a lot of time, and unfortunately it's very easy to get behind schedule. Identify the day, week or season during which you'd ideally touch your prospect, and work backwards, building in one to two months to get logistics sorted, materials printed and mailing lists compiled.

Day, week or season? That seems like a really wide range...  

Well, it is. The timing of your promotion really depends on the type of event or service you're promoting. Something like a nature center membership or a discounted car wash is relevant across an entire season. An invitation to a charitable gala, on the other hand, has a much smaller window.

It would have been very easy to ignore the Wildflower Center's seed packet had beautiful scenery like this not been top of mind. 
 
Instead, they succeeded in getting my attention.

I really can't stress enough the importance of good timing. Sometimes even just a week or two can make all the difference. The longer a person leaves your mail on their coffee table or desk thinking- "I really should remember this for that project next season"- the less likely it is you'll ever hear from them.

This week at Sonic Promos, we're working on...



... vintage style T-shirts for Quench restaurant, opening in Rockville, Maryland at the end of the month. We can't wait to try this place; the menu looks fantastic! I'll take the crab chips and hush puppies, please.



... t-shirts for the 2012 TD Bank Mid-Atlantic Cup soccer tournament at the Maryland SoccerPlex.



... and duffel bags and Camelbak water bottles for summer associates of WilmerHale law firm.

"This Week at Sonic Promos" is a regular feature on our blog.
Read all past posts here.
Check in every week to see some of the work that's going on in our office.

This week at Sonic Promos, we're working on...



... captain's chairs for Southern Management, to be awarded as teachers' gifts.



... SoHo shopper bags for Off the Charts! event planning. The art on this item is a great example of how one can achieve a 3-color look by knocking out portions of the design and letting the background color show through.  

... and debossed journal books for the McIntire School of Commerce of the University of Virginia, to be handed out to student leaders this spring.

"This Week at Sonic Promos" is a regular feature on our blog.
Read all past posts here.
Check in every week to see some of the work that's going on in our office.

A lot of things can go wrong when producing branded marketing materials. Typos, smudged ink, disproportionate printing, late deliveries, ill-fitting clothing, damages in shipping... you name it. Thankfully, most mistakes are easily remedied with some quick thinking and a few extra dollars. 

Most mistakes.

Last December, one of our decal/magnet vendors announced that they'd be launching a new product category in January 2012. When Seth, Julianne, Mallory and I traveled to Orlando for the ASI Show, we were excited to visit with our rep and learn more about the new line.

Turns out they had begun manufacturing temporary tattoos. Sure, temporary tattoos aren't anything new, but a patented ink formula differentiated their product from current market options. Inspired by traditional henna body art, this vendor designed their ink to stain the skin, rather than adhere to or sit on top of the surface layer. Applied correctly, the impression should last nearly 3 times longer than traditional temporary tats.

Right.

It seems that a little more research and development was in order before launching this product. Beta testers were outraged to discover just how well the design lasted. Sleeve art is fun for two days, five tops. Three months?!? Absolutely not funny.

Immediately following our vendor meeting in Orlando, Seth tweeted about the new ink. One of our largest clients adores temporary tattoos, and they typically place an order once per season to replenish inventory for youth fundraisers, family concerts and community events. They saw Seth's tweet, and a full order was in production the very next day. Normally, we regard our speed of service as a major asset at Sonic. In this instance, a few extra days would have literally saved our skin.  

Needless to say, this little issue cost us a very big account. Dealing with the aftermath has reminded us of the importance of adequate product testing, and the responsibility falls on both suppliers and distributors. 

Of course every situation has a silver lining, and Seth, ever the optimist, discovered it first:

"On the one hand it's a cautious tale for parents. On the other hand, when you consider the cost of real tattoos, you can now do a full sleeve for hundreds less than the average cost of a tramp stamp. Bike bars and Renaissance festivals are now in an uproar."

It's a shame that some lessons have to be learned the hard way...

... and Ben may have learned the hardest lesson of us all.

We run an internship program at Sonic through a local high school. Each semester, two or three students join our team and assist with project research, fulfillment and other administrative tasks. 

We love our interns. Seriously, we do. They help us stay up to date on high school slang and provide hours of entertainment. Their latest game was so cute, we felt compelled to share it with you.

Mary and Mike, or Kid Mike, as he prefers to be called, have never met in person (they alternate days at Sonic), but that doesn't keep them from messing with one another. Mary has been with us for several months now, and clearly, seniority is just as important among interns as it can be among full-time employees.

Mary's note reads: "Dear Kid Mike, don't touch my background. I have seniority rights. Thank you! Mary".
Point taken?

Hah! It only gets better...





Two things I've learned from this little intern war:

1. Our interns are internet savvy and know their memes. 

2. Clearly, we need to give them more work to do.